An update on this story. "Indonesia - Imprisoned Sunday school teachers released," from Compass Direct:
DUBLIN, June 8 (Compass Direct News) – A small crowd gathered to welcome Dr. Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun as they walked free from the Indramayu district prison in West Java, Indonesia early this morning. They had served nearly two years of their three-year sentence.
The three women were arrested in May 2005 and sentenced to prison that September for allowing Muslim children to attend their Sunday school program, even though the parents had consented to their children’s attendance. After several legal appeals failed, the women were delighted to be granted an early release on parole following international advocacy campaigns on their behalf.
Authorities quietly moved the release from 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. after Muslim extremists said they would gather outside the prison to protest the reduced sentence. During their trial in 2005, Muslim extremists had made murderous threats against the three women within and outside the courtroom.
The Christian Peace and Prosperity Party sent two busloads of people to the prison to ensure safety for the women. Supporters and a handful of local and international journalists were also present to witness the release.
'The women were arrested on May 13, 2005 under Indonesia’s Child Protection Act. After a series of hearings, judges on September 1, 2005 found the women guilty of “Christianization,”'
Two years in a filthy Indonesian prison, all for allowing Muslim children to attend their Sunday school, with the consent of the parents.
'Indonesia’s Child Protection Act'. Sickening irony.
"The Christian Peace and Prosperity Party sent two busloads of people to the prison to ensure safety for the women."
....I would hope the "supporters" were heavily armed....
Indonesia is moderate
This incident Happened within 30 kilometers to where I live
Islam is for Arabs
April 11th, 2007, by Patung
Two Javanese men fall foul of the law for saying Islam is an unwanted Arab import.
In the town of Pasuruan, East Java two men, Rochamim and Toyib were taken to the police station by angry local residents on 10th April because of Rochamim’s dangerous ideas about religion, to which Toyib had become a follower.
Rochamim says that Islam is an Arab religion and has nothing to do with Java or Indonesia and that those Javanese people who embrace Islam have been tricked by Arabs. He also says that five times a day prayers are unnecessary, and that the Quran is full of lies.
Abdul Kodir, a neighbour of Rochamim, says:
In the beginning he made it known that he didn’t like Arabs, and then that he didn’t believe in Islam anymore. But he used to be a Muslim.
The Pasuruan area has quite a substantial population of people of Arab (and Persian) descent.
Abdul said people in the area had known about Rochamim’s deviant thinking for several months but hadn’t done anything about it because they didn’t feel right about taking action, for uncertain reasons. Rochamim had won a small following of people who often visited his house and Abdul said residents bided their time until they felt ready to deal with him.
Toyib, a follower, explained that Rochamim taught that daily prayers were useless and Rochamim advised that these be replaced by devotional visits to graves.
After Rochamim was arrested his house was searched and a number of items used in mystical ceremonies and practices were seized as evidence by police.
The Pasuruan branch of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) is said to be speedily preparing a fatwa to condemn the ideas of Rochamim. Dhofir Azhari of the Pasuruan MUI has already paid a visit to the two men in custody and he reported that they had already apologised for their deviant Javanese ways.
Toyib has been charged under Article 156a of the criminal code dealing with blasphemy, while Rochamim has not yet been charged but is still in custody. Policeman Jebul Jatmoko says that Toyib is the one who spread the teachings to others.
Meanwhile about 30 of Rochamim’s neighbours thronged the Pasuruan police station today to give evidence against the suspect. One of these people, Gus Muhammad, said he couldn’t stand the presence of Rochamim’s religious group in the neighbourhood and, went on “Gus Mad”, as he is usually called, he hoped the police would deal with the criminals firmly.
Rochamim has responded to the allegations against him by saying that he was merely practising a Javanese form of religion, kejawen, a kind of animism, which is not illegal, but that he had never insulted Islam or Muslims, or any other religion. He said he had eight followers who regularly came to his house to learn kejawen ways.
Police are still unsure whether Rochamim has committed any crime. Pasuruan policeman Rudianto says both of the men are being held at the police station for their own safety. [5]
Rochamim and Toyib are still at the Pasuruan police station. They are apparently living there, not being held against their will, because the residents of their village, Bugul Kidul, are not willing to accept them back.
Indonesia is moderate
This incident Happened within 30 kilometers to where I live
Islam is for Arabs
April 11th, 2007, by Patung
Two Javanese men fall foul of the law for saying Islam is an unwanted Arab import.
In the town of Pasuruan, East Java two men, Rochamim and Toyib were taken to the police station by angry local residents on 10th April because of Rochamim’s dangerous ideas about religion, to which Toyib had become a follower.
Rochamim says that Islam is an Arab religion and has nothing to do with Java or Indonesia and that those Javanese people who embrace Islam have been tricked by Arabs. He also says that five times a day prayers are unnecessary, and that the Quran is full of lies.
Abdul Kodir, a neighbour of Rochamim, says:
In the beginning he made it known that he didn’t like Arabs, and then that he didn’t believe in Islam anymore. But he used to be a Muslim.
The Pasuruan area has quite a substantial population of people of Arab (and Persian) descent.
Abdul said people in the area had known about Rochamim’s deviant thinking for several months but hadn’t done anything about it because they didn’t feel right about taking action, for uncertain reasons. Rochamim had won a small following of people who often visited his house and Abdul said residents bided their time until they felt ready to deal with him.
Toyib, a follower, explained that Rochamim taught that daily prayers were useless and Rochamim advised that these be replaced by devotional visits to graves.
After Rochamim was arrested his house was searched and a number of items used in mystical ceremonies and practices were seized as evidence by police.
The Pasuruan branch of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) is said to be speedily preparing a fatwa to condemn the ideas of Rochamim. Dhofir Azhari of the Pasuruan MUI has already paid a visit to the two men in custody and he reported that they had already apologised for their deviant Javanese ways.
Toyib has been charged under Article 156a of the criminal code dealing with blasphemy, while Rochamim has not yet been charged but is still in custody. Policeman Jebul Jatmoko says that Toyib is the one who spread the teachings to others.
Meanwhile about 30 of Rochamim’s neighbours thronged the Pasuruan police station today to give evidence against the suspect. One of these people, Gus Muhammad, said he couldn’t stand the presence of Rochamim’s religious group in the neighbourhood and, went on “Gus Mad”, as he is usually called, he hoped the police would deal with the criminals firmly.
Rochamim has responded to the allegations against him by saying that he was merely practising a Javanese form of religion, kejawen, a kind of animism, which is not illegal, but that he had never insulted Islam or Muslims, or any other religion. He said he had eight followers who regularly came to his house to learn kejawen ways.
Police are still unsure whether Rochamim has committed any crime. Pasuruan policeman Rudianto says both of the men are being held at the police station for their own safety. [5]
Rochamim and Toyib are still at the Pasuruan police station. They are apparently living there, not being held against their will, because the residents of their village, Bugul Kidul, are not willing to accept them back.
Great they have been released, but it is very doudtful they are able to return to their homes..
MORE FROM TOLERANT MUZI,S
Sunday School
June 4th, 2007, Bandung, Indonesia
Channel News Asia says about 100 Muslim militants stormed a church during services, smashing images of Jesus Christ and demanding that it be closed down, while Sunday school was in session.
Robby Elisa said his wife was beaten and that at least four stained glass depictions of Jesus were smashed.
They came and forced their way into the church. The attackers claimed to be from the Anti-Apostate Movement Alliance. The same group had already attacked the church in 2005.
Elisa said that his church was small and only had a congregation of about 20 adults and 40 children and teenagers.
Also in Jakarta Post, where UK human rights movement Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s (CSW) is quoted as saying Indonesia’s anti-Christian movement is centred on West Java. The JP report says:
Dozens of unidentified people Sunday broke into Sidang Jemaat Allah church at Gading Tutuka complex in Soreang, Bandung forcing churchgoers, including 15 children, to stop their religious activities, which they have conducted weekly since 2000.
The attackers forced their way into the church at 9.30am on Sunday, hit the Reverend’s wife over the head with a bible and forced the children’s Sunday School lessons to stop.
Churchgoer Lidia said the attackers claimed they were from the Anti-apostate Movement Alliance (AGAP).
Shouting Allahu Akbar (God is Great), the attackers forced their way into the church and destroyed at least four glass pictures of Jesus Christ.
They knocked on the church door, damaged it and forced themselves into to our school room. They said (Sunday School) was an act of apostasy.
After picking up a bible in the church, one of the attackers hit Reverend Robby Elisa’s wife, Moni over the head, Lidia said.
Ani, another church-goer, said the Sunday attack was the second to have taken place at the church in recent times.
Last time [probably in 2005] the attackers said the church did not have the necessary permits, Ani said. Church-goers however claim to have received permission from local neighborhood officials more than seven years ago to hold their religious activities, she said.
Muhammad Mukmin, head of AGAP (Anti-apostate Movement Alliance), denied his group was behind the attack.
Hedi Muhammad from the Anti-Apostate Division of the Islamic Ulema Forum (FUUI), an organization in support of AGAP, also denied any involvement in the attack.
Usually when there is a kind of mass movement, we have coordination. We don’t know at all from which groups they (the attackers) come from.
Reuters AlertNet. Says also that it was the pastor’s wife who was hit, and adds this detail:
The men forced a teenage student to spit on the Bible and deny Christ. But when he refused they kicked him in the gut. They sent the kids outside screaming and crying.
The reverend’s wife said three teachers and 15 children were in the class when the group forced its way in, shattering stained glass images and destroying a number of Bibles.
One witness claims that there were policemen, soldiers, and village officals present during the attack but that they did not attempt to stop it.
http://illustratedpig.blogspot.com/2007/04/martyboro-man.html
"One witness claims that there were policemen, soldiers, and village officals present during the attack but that they did not attempt to stop it."
...same story heard in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq....
....no more foreign aid, not one more dime....
And these jailed women were such NICE people.
Contrast these lovely ladies to Indonesia's 'FPI' organization which attacks and destroys anything non-Islamic throughout Indonesia.
Hi,
Long time reader, first time poster. Just checking to see if it works...if I registered as I was supposed to.
Good day all.
Why nobody protest the reduced sentences of the jihadist specially that of Abu Bakar.